For many patients with serious diseases, access to a clinical trial can be life‑saving—but also very difficult. Today, the CIRM Board approved a concept plan to make participation in CIRM‑funded clinical trials easier, both financially and logistically. Patient Support Program The plan creates a Patient Support Program (PSP) to assist California patients being evaluated or … Continue reading CIRM creates a clinical trial patient support program
Month: September 2022
Unlocking the secrets of autism
Dr. Alysson Muotri, in his lab at UCSD For Dr. Alysson Muotri, unlocking autism’s biology is personal. His son has autism, and Muotri hopes to help him and millions of others. A Mission to Understand Autism He launched the Tooth Fairy Project, which collected more than 3,000 donated baby teeth from children with and without … Continue reading Unlocking the secrets of autism
So far, some encouraging news for a clinical trial treating epilepsy
Neurona Therapeutics is testing a new therapy for a drug-resistant form of epilepsy and has just released some encouraging early findings. The first patient treated went from having more than 30 seizures a month to just four seizures over a three-month period. CIRM-supported trial This clinical trial, funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading So far, some encouraging news for a clinical trial treating epilepsy
Funding a Clinical Trial for a Functional Cure for HIV
Antiretroviral drugs have turned HIV/AIDS from a fatal disease into one that can often be controlled, but they are not a cure. That’s why the CIRM Board approved $6.85 million for a therapy designed to cure the disease. This is CIRM’s 82nd funded clinical trial. Millions impacted About 38 million people worldwide live with HIV/AIDS, … Continue reading Funding a Clinical Trial for a Functional Cure for HIV
Fast Track designation for a therapy making transplants safer for children with a fatal immune disorder
Bone marrow transplant For children born with severe combined immunodeficiency, life is extremely challenging. SCID leaves them without a functioning immune system, so even minor infections can be life‑threatening. Without treatment, many children die within the first few years of life. CIRM-funded clinical trials CIRM‑funded stem cell and gene therapy trials at UCLA and UCSF/St. … Continue reading Fast Track designation for a therapy making transplants safer for children with a fatal immune disorder
Couple uproots their lives to help their baby with spina bifida
Michelle, Jeff, and baby Tobi When Michelle Johnson and Jeff Maginnis learned they were expecting a baby, they were elated. Frightening diagnosis Then an ultrasound exam at 20 weeks into the pregnancy showed the fetus had spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly. Spina bifida can … Continue reading Couple uproots their lives to help their baby with spina bifida
A newfound passion for stem cell research
All her life, Madison Waterlander knew that she wanted to be a part of the medical field. But soon after graduating from the University of Hawaii with her undergraduate degree, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It was during this time that she noticed how crucial biomedical research was in the medical field and lives of patients, and … Continue reading A newfound passion for stem cell research
The race to cure sickle cell disease
September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to refocus our efforts on finding new treatments, and even a cure, for people with sickle cell disease. Until we do, CIRM remains committed to doing everything we can to reduce the stigma and bias surrounding it. More on sickle cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) … Continue reading The race to cure sickle cell disease
Mourning the death of Susan Solomon
Susan L. Solomon, Photo courtesy of NYSCF We were saddened to learn that Susan Solomon, CEO and co‑founder of the New York Stem Cell Foundation, has died. As CEO, she raised more than $400 million for stem cell research, helping catalyze the field and shape the future of medical science. The foundation announced her passing … Continue reading Mourning the death of Susan Solomon
CIRM-funded stem cell-gene therapy shows promise in ALS safety trial
Senior author of the study Clive Svendsen, PhD (center) With funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), Cedars-Sinai scientists are testing a gene and cell therapy to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurological disorder known asLou Gehrig's disease. In the first trial of its kind, the Cedars-Sinai team showed that delivery of … Continue reading CIRM-funded stem cell-gene therapy shows promise in ALS safety trial